Aeroplane.



F. STAVRUM.

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H my mm m w a P J m w M ATTORNEY F. STAVRUM AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24,1913- RENEWED JUNE 4. i915.

LMBJQQ. Patented July 27, 1915. v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- P if H mmmm A TTORNE Y FRITZ STAVRUM,

OF SIOUX CITY, IOVVA,

AEROPLAN in Application filed November 24, 1913, Serial No. 802,735.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRITZ STAvnUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sioux City,'in the county of \Voodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and has for its object the construction of an improved device of this class, and more particularly the provision of improved means for maintaining the equilibrium of aeroplanes. i

The invention contemplates broadly mech anism coin n-ising an extensible shaft which depends from the aeroplane and is fulcrumed for lateral movement in any direction; means fol-adjusting and. maintaining said shaft at-any angle; a weight carried by said shaft; and means for raising and lowering the same, all of which will be clearly understood from the .follo ting description reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, of which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a. fragmentary front elevation of the seine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged front.

elevation of the controlling lever; Fig. 4: is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line H of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view. of the lever-pawl and push-rod; Fig". 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the extensible shaft and members associated therewith; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the spider and reels, with one of the latter shown in section; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the controlling shaft and associated members, parts being; broken away; Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 6; and Fig. 10 is a plan view of the supporting platform.

Although I have illustrated and herein described the preferred embodiment of my invention, 1 would not be understood as being limited to the specific structure selected for illustration, for VrfiioUS alterations and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts,

. without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now to the illustrations, 11 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed June 14, 1815. Serial No. 34,073.

12 represent the upper and lower planes, re-

Patented July 27, 1915.

spectively, of a biplane. From the lower plane depend oppositely arranged bars, 13,

the lower ends of which are an,.,led inwardly and support one end of a platform provided with upwardly-disposed ears, 15, which are pivotally secured to bars 16, secured to and depending from the lower plane.

Upon the central portion of the pi l i, is'securely mounted a plate, 17,forined integral with a collar socket, 18, which encircles a ball, 19, having a bore 20 (Fig; 3) through which may reciprocate a-hollow v 76 ich is provided with shaft, 21, which is telescoped by a shaft, 22, the lower end of wh' head, 23, equal in die ieter to the shaft 21, and provided with .orir, 24, supporting a,

orm,

horizontal shaft, 25, upon which rotate a spool, or reel The shaft 21 is provided with a rear wardly-extending bracket 27, terminating with parallel arms 28, carrying a horizontal shaft 29, upon which rotates a spool or reel, 30, upon which is wound a flexible link, 31, which passes" upwardly through the lower plane, over direction pulleys, 32 and 33, depending from the upper plane; and is wound upon a drum, 34, carried by a shaft, 35, having a. crank, 36 and journaled for rotation within the upright member, 37 of the superstructure and-a bar, 38, secured to the upper plane and connected with the upright, 37, by cross members, 39. On the outer end of the drum, 34 is secured a ratchet wheel, 4. 0, engaged by a. dog, 4.1, pivoted on the upright, 37, which serves to prevent retrograde movement of the drmn.

The shaft 22 is formed with a longitudinal groove, 42, which is engaged by a bead, 43, provided on the inner surface of the shaft 21, whereby relative rotation between In the outer the two members is prevented. surface of the shaft, 21, is formed a longitudinal groove, 44, which is alined with a groove 45- formed in the head 23.

46 is a weight, preferably'cylindrical and free to move longitudinally of the shafts.

When the device is in operation the weight encircles the head, 23, and rests upon the. fork 24. A bead, 47, provided on theinner surface'of the weight, engages the groove 4C5 whereby rotary displacement of the weight is preventedi Aslot, 48, in the rear 'side of the weight permits the latter, when raised and lowered,- to' pass the bracket farm 27.

To the weight is secured one end of a flexible link, 49, which passes upwardly through an opening, 50, in the platform ll, thence over a pulley,-51, mounted in the lower plane, and terminates upon a drum or reel, 52 mounted upon a shaft 53 provided with a crank 54: and journaled for rotation in the uprights 37 and 38. 55, is mounted on the drum agid engaged by a dog, 56, pivoted upon the upright, 37, whereby retrograde movement of the drum is prevented. A flexible link 57 is secured at 58, to the weight and the opposite end is secured to the reel, as at 59.

As the link e9 is wound upon, or unwound from the drum the shaft, 22 and attached weight will accordingly be raised or low cred. As traction is imparted to the link,

49, the shaft 22 is raised until the head 23 thereof encounters the lower end of the shaft 21; and as the traction is continued,

the reel 26 will pay out the link 57 and permit the weight to move upwardly upon the shaft 21, whereupon the bead, -17 coacts with the exterior groove H in preventing relative rotary movement between the weight and shaft. As the weight is lowered, the reel 26 automatically rewinds the link 57 thereupon, as will be hereinafter made more clear.

Upon the upper end of the shaft 21 is formed a socket, 60, provided with a slot, 61, and inclosing a ball 62, carried upon the lower end of a shaft, 63, the center portion of which carries a ball 64, encircled by a collar-socket 65, formed integral with a plate, 66, mounted upon the lower plane. spider, 67, is secured upon the shaft, 63, by se -screws, 68, or otherwise, and has radially-disposed Y-shaped arms, 69, between which are mounted spools or reels, 70, free to turn upon shafts 71, carried by the arms. Upon the spools, 7 2 the outer endsof which are secured to the lower plane, as at 7 3.

The reels, 7G, inclose coil springs, (Fig. 7) which encircle the shafts 71 and each have one terminalsecured to the shaft and the opposite terminal secured to the reel, by virtue of which the strands may be readily unwound from, and automatically rewound upon the reels.

The reels 26, 30 and are identical, and the description above given is applicable to all.

Above the reels 70 is a clutch .75, freely encircling the shaft, 63, and having an annular groove, 76, which is adapted to engage the flanges of the adjacent reels and prevent rotation thereof. Within a counter bore, 77, in the clutch, is a compression spring, 7 8, which is interposed between the clutch and collar, 6'2, and serves to disengage the former from the reels.

The means for controlling the device pref quadrant, 83, mounted upon A; ratchet wheel,

70, are wound flexible guys 3 erably comprises a bifurcated lever, 79, the arms of which, are located on opposite sides of, and fulcrumed as at 81 to the shaft, and terminate in cams or disks, 82, eccentric to the fulcrums. The lever swings upon a. the end of the shaft and engageable by a pawl, 84, fulcrumed between the arms and pivotallysecured to a push-rod inclosed by the handle and provided with a head, S6, between which' and a shoulder, 87, is interposed a compression-spring, 88, which serves to keep the pawl normally in engagement with the quadrant.

By virtue of the structure now set forth, the operator may readily adjust the weighted extensible-shaft laterally in any direction to counteract orcorrect any tendencyof the aeroplane to tilt. To so adjust the device the operator first moves the lever slightly rearwardly to free the clutch from the reels, whereupon he may move the shaft 63 and thus throw the extensible shaft in the desired direction. It is clear that as the shaft, 63, is moved, the guys, 72, on one side will be shortened. while those on the opposite side will be lengthened, by virtue of the'automatic reels. \Vhen the point of balance is found the lever may be thrown forwardly, whereupon the cams 82 will coactwith the clutch in engaging the reels and maintain the device in the desired position.

Prior to alighting the operator releases the lever and retracts the depending shaft and weight as previously described; and, by rotating the drum'ffl, draws the weight upwardly and rearwardlyinto the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which movement is permitted bythe hinged platform, 14 swinging upwardly; and the entrance of the lower end of the shaft, 63, into the slot 61. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. A device of the class described comprising an aeroplane; a supporting means carried by the aeroplane; a shaft depending therefrom and pivoted thereto to swing in any direction laterally; a weight carried by and movable longitudinally of said shaft; a' lever pivoted to said shaft and fulcrumed to move in any direction laterally; springaetuated reels carried by said lever; flexible guys secured to the aeroplane and wound upon said reels; means mounted upon said lever to engage and lock said reels; means for the'control of the latter means governed by the operator; and means for moving said weight longitudinally of the shaft.

2. A device of the class described compris' ing an aeroplane; a supporting means "carried by the aeroplane; a shaft depending therefrom and pivoted thereto to swing in any direction laterally; a weight carried by and movable longitndinall 'of said shaft; a'

lever pivoted 'to said sha t and fulcrumed to move in any direction laterally; s ring-- e actuated reels carried by said lever; exi

guys secured to the aeroplaneand wound upon said reels; means mounted npon said lever to engage and lock said reels; means for the control ofltlie latter means governed by the operator; means for moving said" weight longitudinally of the ,shaft; and

me'ans for raising said shaft to clear the ground when alighting'zr 3. .;A device of the class described comprising an aeroplane; a supporting frame carried thereby; an extensible shaft depending therefrom and pivoted-thereto to swing in fiy direction laterally; a weight carried by and movable longitudinally of said shaft;

means for extending and retracting sa-id shaft and raising'and lowering the weight; a lever pivoted to said shaft and fulcrumed for movement'in any direction laterally; automatically extensible and retractable connections between said lever and aeroplane and comprising spring-actuated reels and flexible links wound' thereon means coning.

lower end equa shaft; a weight carried by and adapted to slide longitudinally of said. shafts; a

fed topay out the link and to be raised after the Inca 'has' encountered said first shaft; 51, third shaft having a ed in an latform; a Shaft freely inclosed a second shaft telescoping saidby said ba first shaft ,and provided with ahead at its in diameter to said first spring-actuated reel mounted on the lower endof said second shaft; means for raising and lowering the weight and secondshaft; a flexible link secured to 's aid weight and wound upon 'said reel, said reel being adaptha-lland socket connection with'said first shaft and pivoted by a ball and socket upon the vareoplane"; spring-actuatedreels mount- -ed upon said third shaft flexible "guys se.-*'

cured to the aeroplane andwound upon said ermit the weightreels; a clutch encircling said third shaft and yieldable toward, and adapted to engage said reels; a lever fulcrumed men said third shaft; eccentric means contrtp'l led by said v v lever to'govern said clutch;;andjmeans for wardly to clear the ground in alighting, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing. witnesses. r

- F STAVRUM- Witnesses: e

M. S. CRANDALL Hnnnn Game swinging said-first and second shafts rears 

